1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to off road vehicles such as agricultural or construction tractors in which the operator has one or more switches that are used to control various machine functions such as, but not limited to, controlling the hydraulic system. Often these switches are located on the armrest of the operator""s seat for easy access by the operator.
2. Description of Related Art
In a work vehicle, such as a tractor, an array of identical switches may be provided to operate different portions of the hydraulic system. These switches may be actuated to turn on or off various functions during the operation of the machine. Inadvertent deactivation of a switch or inadvertent activation of a.switch by improper finger placement can result in an undesired machine function and a loss of productivity. For example, when planting with an air seeder, one switch controls the seeder blower fan motor. Actuation of the switch to interrupt the air distribution while planting has time consuming consequences. On the other hand, an adjacent or nearby switch actuates the hydraulics to raise or lower the implement during headland turns and thus must be available for activation.
To avoid inadvertent actuation of a switch, it is been known to provide plugs that can be inserted on a switch to restrict movement of the switch. Unfortunately, when it is necessary to actuate the switch, the plug must first be removed and the switch actuated. This can be a time consuming process and undesirable in an emergency situation.
The present invention seeks to overcome the disadvantages in the prior art by providing individual covers for each switch within the housing in which the switch is mounted. Each cover can be moved to an open position providing free access to its respective switch. Alternatively, the cover can be rotated to a closed position in which the switch is covered in such a way as to prevent inadvertent actuation of the switch. However, in the preferred embodiment, when the cover is in the closed position, access is still provided to the switch to move the switch to deactivate a machine function. Thus, any function can be stopped without first uncovering the switch.
Each cover has a hook like detent feature at one end that engages with a portion of the armrest housing to secure the cover in the closed position to avoid movement of the cover by excessive vibration, etc. One or more of the covers can be provided with a raised or recessed portion to provide a tactile feedback to the operator as to which switch the cover is associated so that the operator can properly place his or her fingers on the switch covers by feel rather than by sight.